Ravi Shastri, former India head coach, has named keeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s comeback to international cricket as his biggest surprise of the recent ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).
Rishabh Pant had spent 14 months out of action since his near-fatal car accident in December 2022. He underwent surgery on his knee and operations for burns he sustained and then worked hard at rehab in the NCA in Bengaluru.
Pant made his cricket comeback in the IPL 2024, where he batted and kept wicket in all 14 games for Delhi Capitals. He was then picked in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 and was surprisingly promoted to bat at no.3 during the tournament.
He scored 36 and 42 against Ireland and Pakistan in the first two games. And Pant finished the tournament as India’s third-highest run-getter, amassing 171 runs across eight innings.
Rishabh Pant coming back from jaws of death: Ravi Shastri on his surprise of T20 WC 2024
Ravi Shastri named Rishabh Pant as the biggest surprise of the T20 World Cup. Shastri commended Pant’s efforts to recover from a catastrophic injury. The veteran all-rounder praised Pant’s abilities as a batter and wicketkeeper.
“For me, Rishabh Pant. Because, let’s face it, we all know how talented he is, and what he can do. But for him to come back after that injury, to really come back from nowhere, from the jaws of death to come out, and then respond and play in the fashion he did. He was sent at No. 3, given that extra responsibility. He did his job with the bat, but it was his keeping that really surprised everyone,” Shastri said in a video posted by ICC.
“For someone to recover that quickly and then move the way he did. He hardly missed anything, albeit he must have felt the pressure as the tournament went on because it’s not easy to come back and do all the stuff he did. I thought it was the most refreshing thing and a surprise as well, especially the keeping,” Shastri added.
Pant impressed not only with his bat but also affected 14 dismissals in the T20 World Cup, 13 catches, and one stumping. Pant also featured in the first two T20Is against Sri Lanka and will compete with KL Rahul for the keeper’s spot in the upcoming three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka, starting on August 2nd.
Here is the video:
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